Inquest examines controversial deaths of elderly Sandy Bay couple Nelda and David Edwards

In 2020, a murder charge against a former Hobart doctor was dropped due to his own terminal illness. An upcoming inquest will finally determine how his mother died.

Stephen Edwards (centre) leaving the Supreme Court of Tasmania after being granted bail over the alleged murder of his mother. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The controversial death of an elderly Sandy Bay woman will be examined in an upcoming inquest in Hobart.

Nelda Mavis Edwards, 88, died in her bedroom during March 2016.

Her death came just two days after the death of her 90-year-old husband David Edwards and two weeks after the overseas and unrelated death of one of their four sons, Glendon.

David Edwards’ death will also be examined in the inquest, which will be held before Coroner Simon Cooper at a date to be determined.

One of Glendon’s brothers, former Hobart doctor Stephen John Edwards, was previously charged with murdering his mother by giving her a “cocktail” of drugs “to effect terminal sedation in circumstances of existential distress”.

Mr Edwards and his brother Robert were also jointly charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice by lying to police to avoid prosecution.

A family portrait of the Edwards family. From left, Glendon Edwards, father David Edwards, Robert, Leigh, mother Nelda Edwards and Stephen.

Robert Edwards allegedly told police his mother had been distressed and “died of a broken heart”.

Both men denied the allegations against them.

But charges against the brothers were dropped in 2020, just days after the murder trial was due to begin, with Tasmania’s Director of Public Prosecution announcing it would be “oppressive” to continue as Stephen Edwards was “gravely ill”.

Mr Edwards later revealed to the Weekend Australian that he was suffering terminal liver cancer – while proclaiming his innocence against the murder charge.

David and Nelda Edwards.

“I did not murder mum and I most certainly did not kill my father,” he said.

He said his parents had stopped eating and had resolved to die following Glendon’s death.

Mr Edwards said his father died in his sleep, while his mother died a few days later.

He said he’d given her a sedative to help her sleep, then administered morphine and midazolam for pain relief as she was dying – consistent with responsible end-of-life care.

Mr Edwards said he was dubbed “Dr Death” while on remand in Risdon Prison and was placed in the same high-observation cell block as the Port Arthur gunman.

Last November, he announced he’d written a book, Evil Conjectures, to clear his name before his death – and said he planned to return to Tasmania for a book launch.

A case management conference will be held in Hobart on Monday.

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